To Know The Truth
by Eva Hydra Dahl
Summary: What really happened that night? Barry travels back in time with the Reverse Flash to kill Nora Allen, the Future must be secured. The future that has successfully avoided may not exist any longer but something survived it, and the truth of what really happened cannot be out-run. Confronted by his greatest enemy yet, the Black Flash. Cobalt Blue revealed Eventual Harrison/Barry
1. To Know The Truth

It felt as if they had circled her a thousand times, no longer distinguishable forces but one whirlwind of lightening. Red lightening entwined with yellow sparking in all directions, they had to keep up the speed for this to work. Barry clenched his eyes shut, the momentum pulling him like a tide of gravity unable to stop even if he wanted to. The piercing screaming and crying, pleading tore his heart to shreds the only thing that kept him moving was what the Reverse Flash had showed him; the future if Barry saved his Mother. The faces of everyone he would never save, including Iris. The Flash would never be, Central City would be plagued by the likes of Leonard Snart and many others.

Barry felt the speed change in the whirlwind and knew this was the cue, just as they had discussed he broke through the velocity barrier they had created, snatching the young boy away from his Father speeding him down the street, but not too far so they boy could find his way home. As Barry ran away from the boy he could hear the voice call for his parents, and he ran as fast as he could away from that boy, guilt weighing on him, he would run from that boy every time he closed his eyes. He approached the house once more, the image of The Reverse Flash stabbing his Mother in the heart seared in his mind, as the final cry rung out from his home, Barry knew it was over.

The Reverse Flash had done it, to spare Barry from having to do this himself, to give Barry his enemy and his future. Barry slowed to a stop, all the energy left his body and grief drowned his senses Nora Allen was gone. Darkness clouded his sight and sound seemed to blur, he wanted to let the police take him away. "Barry?" the familiar yellow clad hands reached out to lift him up from the ground, Barry felt heavy making no effort to aid his Reverse "We have to go." And he was swept away from his home as Police sirens echoed in the distance.

They stopped suddenly when they were further enough away from the scene, Barry did his best to hold his body in place going so far as to using the Speed Force to keep balance on his feet, he was dizzy. "Barry look at me" the voice was filled with nothing but concern as hands came to his shoulders to help him stand in place "We killed her." Was all Barry could manage eyes never leaving the ground.

"I know but…" Barry cut his Reverse off before he could finish "It had to be done." He knew that, but it didn't change the fact that he could never forgive himself for this, killing his own Mother and imprisoning his Father for life. "Barry… I'm so sorry." His Reverse pulled away the mask, his voice broke with sadness and sincerity. Barry looked up to see the familiar face of Harrison Wells, tears ready to fall "I killed her, not you. You need to remember that now."

Barry shook his head "We killed her, both of us." He wouldn't let Dr Wells carry the blame, it was their burden to bare.

He could still hear the whirlwind in his ears and the heaviness in his body, he wanted to explain this to his younger self but he knew he couldn't do that. The shock was giving way to grief now and tears began to fall freely, there was nothing he could do.

"I'm so sorry." Harrison wrapped his arms around Barry pulling him close, Barry buried his face against the yellow material inhaling the smell of leather and static. He held on tight as if he let go he might just give up and run away "It's going to be okay Barry." Harrison whispered and Barry let himself believe it, he had to.

Harrison pulled away, his hands moving to either side of Barry's face, he knew that neither of them would be the same after this, he placed a kiss on Barry's forehead, smoothing his thumbs over the red material wiping away the tears. "Barry…" Harrison whispered and he received a nod in reply.

Barry knew what he was going to say…

They had to go.


	2. The SpeedForce

An Hour Before Nora Allen's Death...

"Barry you have to hold my hand, don't let go of it" Barry had looked at him not believing him at first "No matter what, I cannot run the Speed-Force without you, my body needs recharges of energy but you can sustain me, us." Harrison wore a serious expression as he continued to explain "When we get enough momentum we will enter the Speed-Force, now we need to be running at the same speed. No Exceptions. The Speed-Force itself is very unstable, its structure hasn't yet formed properly but we can run it if we don't stop, not for anything." Joe was covering his mouth with his hand trying desperately not to utter a word of protest, Barry saw it though Joe wanted to keep him from this.

"Breaking through the Time Barrier is our last problem, we have to break through it together but we have to stop at the right moment, I know how to find it." Barry wanted to ask how but somehow he thought it best not to "I'll explain our next set of problems when we get there."

The Race Track was dark and abandoned at this hour, a cold wind blew in as Barry pulled the Flash's mask over his face. He hadn't in any way gotten used to seeing Dr Wells upright and clad in Yellow, at first he had accused the Doctor of everything, being a murderer and a liar and after a while he realised deep down he knew all along that the Reverse was right. Harrison had trained him to reach these speeds not for scientific breath throughs but rather it was the speed required to traverse Space-Time, Harrison had been preparing him for this moment.  
Joe, Caitlin and Cisco's stood together leaning against the railing, none of them had really said anything to Barry so far given that they probably didn't know where to start or what to say.

Dr Wells was waiting on the track they'd not spoken a word on the way over, they were going to murder Barry's Mother to secure the future what more could be said. Barry wouldn't let it in, this was just another mission to save the people he loved. This is what a Hero would do.

"Bear" Barry was stopped on his way to the track by Joe who looked both apologetic and sad "If I could do this, I would. I'd never make you do this." Barry just nodded but Joe continued "Dr Wells will be with you the whole time, don't you lose him son" Barry looked up when he heard that last word and finally spoke up "Thankyou Joe." He pulled the Detective in for a brief hug before moving toward the track again. Not looking back, he knew the worry would be all over his friend's faces.

Barry positioned himself on the mark, sparing a look to his Reverse who only met his eyes and took his hand and in the obscured digital voice of the Reverse Flash he said "Don't let go." And that was it, Cisco fired the cap gun.

Joe, Caitlin and Cisco were blown back as Barry and Harrison took off, two blurs of lightening circling the track. Joe watched the display and the young words of a child "Red and Yellow Lightening" it echoed in his mind.

The Race track was alight with colour, sparks of Red and Yellow ran alongside each other and a gust of air blew against the observers over and over causing them to keep distancing themselves from the track. The lightening became almost too fast to see, sparking brilliantly in all directions now and Joe hoped with every part of his being that they would make it back. And after only a few seconds the lightening disappeared, leaving the Race track in darkness.

Barry held Harrison's hand tight as they entered the stream, he wasn't on the Race track anymore and he almost stopped from shock but his Reverse pulled him along, they couldn't stop for anything. The stream itself was alight with colours Barry had never seen before, bolts and shards of lightening encircled them in all directions as waves of energy made thrumming sounds like the horn of a large ship at sea. As he ran he could hear the thuds of their footsteps against an invisible surface and for a moment this was the most surreal thing he'd ever felt, the force around them fluctuated with instability and shards sparked against the waves Harrison had been right about this place, had he been here before?

Something was approaching ahead, Harrison had mentioned Time-Space and the part where they'd have to run through an invisible wall, Cisco's appeared in his head "Like the Harry Potter movie." Harrison hadn't been impressed with that analogy.  
It was his Reverse's digital voice that brought him back to the task at hand "Breakthrough! Don't let go!" Harrison was running faster than him now and their hands were slipping Barry had to run faster or they wouldn't make it through the Time Barrier he had to concentrate "Run! Barry Run!" Harrison yelled moments before they hit the barrier crashing through the end of the road.

The other side was not what Barry had imagined, it was white but to say that didn't do it justice. It was a piercing bright light that glowed and vibrated, he could feel it in his chest Time had a sound and it shook his entire body as he ran, crashing angrily as they pushed forward as if it were trying to stop them. "Think of that moment Barry" His Reverses voice rang out, Barry looked at him with hesitation but the voice came again with desperation "Think of it Barry Now! The lightening in your house! Remember it Barry!"

Barry's mind provided the memory as clear as the present moment and Harrison tightened his grip on Barry's hand "There!" they fell into a pit that Barry hadn't seen in front of them and they were falling. The last thing he heard his Reverse say was "Forgive me." and he couldn't tell if that was to him or his younger self, maybe it was to both of them.  
The scenery changed gradually and he was running in circles, a whirlwind screeching in his ears.

They had made it.


	3. Black Flash

_Present Time..._

Barry finally knew the truth about The Reverse Flash, about his Mother's death and his role in it. Even after knowing the truth it wasn't enough, he had his answers but something was missing. Purpose.

His Mother's death had been the thing of which everything revolved, the Man in the Yellow suit had been his enemy but now he knew who the man really was, his goal speed had been met and now he didn't know what to do with himself. They would return to the present, but then what?

Barry took Harrison's hand as per instruction, they were on the runway of Ferris Air now, it was freshly paved and it looked a lot different from when he had last been there. His Reverse seemed a little nervous, which made Barry nervous. He would tell him if something was wrong right?

"When we breakthrough the barrier Barry, we have to stop. I mean the second we get through we have to come to a complete stop."

Barry looked to his Reverse "What happens if I don't stop when you do?"

"You'll tear off my arm."

Barry took a moment to realise his Reverse was being serious "Oh." He managed tightening his grip on the hand in his. Rain began to fall, droplets of water decorated the Run way and the night sky was grey with dark clouds. "Ready?" Barry breathed and received a nod in reply, they took off together and after reaching the necessary speed having almost run out of asphalt they entered the White Space-Time, not the Speed-Force surprisingly but rather the pure bright Time-Space that Barry decided he did not like as well as the Speed-Force.

The White crashed down around them now as if it were trying to kill them, they were tearing through it, and maybe it had every right. The path threw them off and they almost lost their footing, running as hard as they could.

"It's trying to kill us!" Barry yelled over the static noise and his Reverse pulled him closer, the White attacked them with a bolt of pure white lightening but it hit a force field that appeared around them. "What was that?" Barry watched the force field disappear "The Speed-Force is protecting us, get ready to stop." Barry looked ahead and was preparing to hit the barrier, until it appeared.

Barry stared wide eyed as the creature peered at him through the barrier it was like him, but its suit was black with red lightening adorning its chest, under its mask was a decomposed face barring its teeth at the fast approaching speedsters. Its eyes were pure white and flesh hung from its hollowed cheeks, a vile looking thing. Barry pulled back as the creature leaned in through the barrier with a predatory curiosity "Barry don't stop!" His Reverse yelled clearly unaware of the new arrival.

"What the hell is that thing?" Barry yelled in reply pointing to the creature and he felt Harrison skid a little as if he were about to stop too, Barry could hear Harrison's breath coming heavy he was scared of that thing, and something told him that they should be afraid.

"He have to run through it!" His Reverse declared pulling Barry along urging him to speed up

"We're gonna crash into it!"

Barry and his Reverse ran into the barrier, colliding with the creature in a spectacular explosion of lightening. Barry stopped immediately hoping that his Reverse still had an arm, they were flung from the Speed-Force onto the Race track. Crashing like a race car Barry rolled until he hit the track barrier, his back smacking hard against the fence before he fell onto the ground. Barry groaned doing his best to push up off the ground, his vision was blurry but he could make out the yellow glow of his Reverse lying in front of him unconscious it seemed covered in wounds from the crash.

"Dr Wells?" he called his voice dry, he received no reply and worry crept into his heart hoping he was just unconscious. Barry began to crawl toward him until he saw it.

The Black Flash was standing over Harrison twisting its head to look at the Speedsters, its face oozing as it barred its teeth once again. Barry felt the fear in his veins, blood draining from his face as the white eyes stared unblinkingly.

He was staring into the eyes of Death.


	4. Cobalt Blue

Cobalt Blue

Barry could here shouting from a distance but it was at if looking at the creature dulled all sounds around him, it snarled at him as he protectively guarded his Reverse, he didn't even know if Harrison was still breathing but he was protecting him.

"Get away from them!"

Barry turned to look behind the creature, as the voice rang out and what he saw surprised him

"Eddie no! Don't!"

The Creature's head clicked as it twisted to face Eddie who held a gun firmly at its head "I said get away from them." His voice was calm now as he stared the creature down. If it was physically possible the creature pulled its decomposed mouth into a grimace its white eyes like that of the Time-Space intimidating the Detective with its very presence.

Something in Eddie's demeanour changed, how was he not terrified of this creature?

Eddie threw his gun to the ground in challenge not breaking eye contact with the creature, but it lost interest in him turning slowly with the clicking of its exposed joints to look at Barry and his Reverse.

Barry watched Eddie who was seething with anger, he stepped forward and the creature paid him no attention. He hadn't expected it so he flinched when Eddie's upper body burst into blue flame, the fire was a light on his skin and his clothes his blue eyes glowed bright, he was furious. And a Meta-Human. Eddie was a Meta-Human, Barry was a wondering if he was going to wake up anytime soon, but it never came.

The Black Flash omitted a piercing screech as it was run through with a flaming blue sword, it wasn't dead but it was hurt. It turned to scream in Eddie's face but he just turned the sword to hurt it more "This is the last time I'll say it." He met the vile creatures white eyes "Get. Away. From Them." And this time the creature disappeared vanishing into thin air, like a hallucination or a nightmare.

"Barry" Eddie breathed the blue flame receded and his sword faded before helping the Speedster to his feet, turning to look at the Reverse Flash on the ground with concern

"What happened?"

"What are you doing here Eddie?" was all Barry could say to that before moving to wrap Harrison's arm around his neck he had to get his Reverse to Cisco and Caitlin. Hoping he was still alive.

Eddie immediately came to their aid pulling Harrison's other hand around his neck so they could carry him across the Race Track, it seemed Joe, Cisco and Caitlin were already running over this way.

"Barry!" Joe yelled running toward them stopping in his tracks when he saw his partner and the lifeless body they were carrying "Is he…?"  
Barry looked at his Reverse, his head hung, eyes closed mouth open but he couldn't tell if he was alive watching for any breathing signs. "Dr Wells!" Caitlin closed the distance pretty fast removing the mask to check his pulse.

"He's Alive!" he exclaimed urging them to get him to the lab "Go Barry!" and Barry removed Harrison from Eddie's grasp hoisting his Reverse over his shoulder and ran as fast as he could.

It was quite a sight Barry laying his Reverse carefully down in the medical wing of the S.T.A.R Labs facility, he never thought such a day would come when he wished his Reverse to survive. Barry thought about what had happened in the last few seconds; Harrison had taken the brunt of the collision, was he protecting Barry by crashing into that creature first, and was it after one of them?  
And Eddie? He was a Flaming Meta-Human like Ronnie, but Ronnie didn't have a sword like that. Was any of that even real?

Barry thought he might pass out if he kept letting all that stuff rack his head, he waited for a short while and then he heard the basement parking shutter doors opening. He leaned in close to his Reverse "Did you know what that creature was?" Barry stared knowing full well that silence would probably be the most honest answer he would get from Harrison on the matter "I think you do." He sat back in his chair beside the bed and waited.

There was more to this world then purpose, greater powers were at hand and more secrets than he could reveal in a lifetime. His purpose was not to save his Mother and Father, he couldn't save that family. He took Harrison's hand in his, but he could save a family.

_This_ family.


	5. Double Entendre

Barry watched on as Caitlin attended to his Reverse, trying his best to take one thing at a time. This night had been a chaotic one, on a positive side; he had successfully travelled in time, he'd run the Speed Space for the first time. He'd run alongside his Reverse, hand in hand something he'd never have thought would ever happen. He and Harrison had found common ground since his Reverse had revealed himself and they'd become closer because of it.

Joe appeared at his side "What happened back there?" Barry stirred from his thoughts turned to look at him "Which part?" he was serious, a lot had happened back there.

"We could start with Eddie."

Barry shook his head "I actually didn't know anything about that." Eddie was standing with his coat hung over his arm, he'd been quiet and maybe that was the best way to go about it right now.

"I think we should bring it up" Joe nudged Barry's arm hoping that he wouldn't have to confront his partner by himself. Barry finally gave in following Joe over, Eddie immediately noticed the oncoming interrogation and met them halfway.

"I didn't know what it was until Joe told me about the Meta Humans." Joe was taken aback by Eddie knowing what he was about to ask.

"You can't read minds can you?"

Eddie actually smiled at that looking a little nervous and he had every right to be "No I can't it just I know what I'd be asking if I was you." He adjusted the coat on his arm for the third time since the conversation had started, avoiding eye contact whenever he could.

"What can you do?"

Eddie looked up from the floor finally "I can show you."

Cisco was the one to suggest the basement parking lot and now Joe, Barry and Eddie were all standing together with him in the elevator. Barry tried to keep his mind on the task at hand, but the images of his Reverse crashing into the time barrier flooded his thoughts and now Harrison was lying in the Medical bay unconscious, Barry wanted to be up there by his side when he woke up, but he needed to see the truth about Eddie it couldn't wait.

"Alright we're all set, flame on dude!" Cisco looked up from his monitoring devises and noticed that no one else was finding this cool. The circumstances of what they'd gone through today made that understandable but still the prospect of an ally who could do what he saw Eddie do was a positive thing.  
Eddie seemed a little off put by all the attention "I haven't really used it much." They watched as he placed his coat and gun holster on top of the police car bonnet before returning to the middle of the designated zone.

"Ready when you are"

Eddie clenched his hands into fists "Here we go" his eyes closed as his body began to relax the beginnings of a small blue flame rose from his shoulders and hands, it took a moment for the flames to rise. His shadow on the ground flickered with flames and his eyes opened, a searing deep blue colour that glowed against the fire. Joe and Barry were speechless as they looked on at the Detective they had come to know, now they realised they didn't know anything about him at all.

"I saw you make a sword" Cisco offered hoping Eddie would show him, being on fire was one thing but manipulating it was something much more powerful.

Eddie nodded in reply extending his arm toward them and the flames like a conscious being spread out in form. After a few seconds the flaming sword appeared as an extension of his hand burning without any sound.

"That is awesome" Cisco was beaming at the newest arrival to the Meta-Human category where as Joe looked on with concern, his partner had these powers since the explosion and never thought to mention it even after he went after the Flash and after Joe had told him about the Meta-Humans.

"We have to give you a cool name"

Barry shook his head "You can't name him anything that has to do with Ronnie and Dr Stein"

"I wasn't going to, I have a name that is unique to Eddie" Cisco stepped closer to Eddie in the designated zone.

Eddie moved away from Cisco his dark blue eyes conveying the warning of proximity, Cisco finally stopped and looked into the glowing eyes

"You're Cobalt Blue."

The monitoring devices made a pinging noise and Cisco ran over to press a button on the screen

"Cisco he's conscious!"

Eddie's blue flames dissipated instantly and he moved toward them "We should get back up there" Barry looked at him with curiosity, why was he revealing himself now? What was he doing at the Track? And why did he care about Barry's Reverse being conscious?

"Come on" Barry jogged toward the elevator he wanted to see Harrison, the others followed in the average walking pace which made him twitch with impatience.

The elevator was quiet on the way back up, but Barry decided to use the time to say something he should have said before "Eddie" and the man turned to face him now

"You saved our lives back there on the track"

Eddie nodded and met his eyes "Have to protect our own right?" he patted Barry's shoulder, but Barry couldn't help but feel that Eddie had meant something by saying that.


	6. Half Truths

Inside the Time-Space, the shadow Speedster the Black Flash knelt in the piercing white nothing. His red eyes were fixed on a place amongst the white, he was waiting for it to appear but it never did. He began to clench his fists with frustration he could see it in his mind clear as day but it wouldn't appear in the Space-Time.

He waited for a long time until he understood, he placed his hand over the white where it should have appeared

"Gone." He whispered in a muffled digital voice.

Caitlin was trying to calm Harrison down, his heart was beating erratically and he was calling Barry's name "Barry! Is he okay? Where is he?" he seemed panicked beyond anything Caitlin had ever seen.

"Dr Wells!" Caitlin tried to keep him in the bed "He's alright" she assured but it didn't seem to help until she said "He's right here" Barry appeared at the door as soon as the Elevator doors had allowed and approached his Reverse slowly.

"Barry" his Reverse breathed sighing with great relief, Barry looked to Caitlin who seemed just as concerned "Are you okay?" Barry asked moving to Harrison's side, he could see the panic fading in his Reverse's eyes.

"I'm alright" he brushed off immediately grabbing Barry's arm inspecting the wound that he had sustained in the crash landing. "It's okay, just a scratch" Barry covered his Reverse's hand and he was surprised when he felt the hand shaking a little.

"What happened?"

"We did it, it wasn't until we were coming back that, the thing attacked us."

Cisco appeared at the door now with Joe and Eddie in toe "You mean the Black Flash." And everyone turned to look at him "What?"

"What was that thing Doctor?" Joe made him way to stand opposite Barry on the other side of the bed. He wanted some answers about all this, Time Travel is one thing but that wasn't even human looking.

Harrison looked up at the small crowd he had around him, waiting for him to explain something he hadn't contemplated getting in their way "He was a speedster like us, he's not supposed to be here." Barry's eyes lit up when Harrison began to speak, surprised the man was actually going to say something about it.

"The…" Harrison pointed to Cisco "Black Flash, was trapped between the Speed Space and Time-Space, the two realities we ran through do you remember Barry?"

Barry nodded

"I'm not sure how, but he strayed too far from the Speed Space into the White Time-Space for too long, trying to change something or run from someone. When you stray too far the Speed Force strips you of your power, he was struck by the Time-Space lightning. It was trying to correct the anomaly and consequently it made him a fixed point in time, making him Immortal. He adopted the concept of a Reaper; Keeper of Time, Agent of Fate and…" he paused for a moment to look at Barry "Bringer of Death."

"What did he want with us?"

"The Black Flash is an omen of death, you and I took the life of Nora Allen to secure the future we were acting as agents of Fate it spurned his curiosity. He's not supposed to be here."

The Black Flash felt the Time Space surging as if it were being attacked and he ran to the barrier inside he could see something impossible; The Flash his long time nemesis running hand in hand with the Reverse Flash. His own timeline was shifting, changing and for so long that was something he himself was trying to achieve. But there were some inevitable destinies and he believed that his was one of them, the Flash's crimes could not be forgiven not even if the evidence of it had been stricken from the Space-Time. The Black Flash would remember even if time would not.

"What will he do now?" Cisco worried

"I don't know what he will do or if he'll do anything at all, but he knows where to find us if he changes his mind."

The room went quiet for a moment before Barry spoke up "How do you know so much about this Black Flash? Who was he?"  
Harrison stared at him his mouth open as if he were about to answer, Barry wasn't sure but the look in his Reverse's eyes said fear, Harrison was really scared of that thing. Barry couldn't understand why Harrison wouldn't say if he knew who the man was before?

"How about we give Dr Wells some time to rest?" Eddie offered breaking the tension in the atmosphere. Barry patted Harrison's shoulder before following the others out of the room, his Reverse was still hiding things from him.

Harrison sat, still staring at the chair Barry had been sitting in, his mind filling with images of the Black Flash the twisted Speedster that haunted the Speed Force and he spoke into the quiet of the room

"He was our future."

Eddie was rubbing the palm of his hand as he followed Joe "Where do you think you're going?"

"What do you mean?"

Joe raised his hand gesturing for Eddie to stop "You're staying here for a while until they sort you out."

Eddie shook his head "I'm sorry Joe but I've done enough for one day, I wanna go home now."

"To Iris, what are you gonna tell her when you get there?"

Eddie had left the house without telling her that he was going, he'd received the text message and left immediately after not that he'd mention that to anyone. If anyone asked he tailed Joe because he kept disappearing in the middle of cases and Eddie wanted some answers. He'd wanted to keep them in the dark about the flame but he had to save him from that thing, even if that meant revealing his being a Meta-Human.

"I'll tell her I went to the precinct to get some files, I'll swing by there on my way back."

Joe looked at Eddie's hands expecting them to burst into flame at any moment and nodded hesitantly he owed his partner some trust.

Eddie smiled "I'll see you later then." He readjusted the coat over his arm and made his way to the elevator an emotionless expression on his face, he wasn't headed home.

Barry looked up from the sink to see how his wounds had healed but he froze in place, sure that his heart had stopped.

It stared back at him, a reflection in the mirror that was not his own.

"What do you want with me?" Barry managed to get out, his hands gripping either side of the basin firmly. The Black Flash stared its pure white eyes unblinking, unmoving as it watched him, the mirror vibrated for a moment and the lights in the bathroom flickered, Barry did his best not to look away from the creature unwilling to turn his back on it.

Finally a deep digital voice rang out in the quiet of the room "Revenge." It was a voice he'd heard before and the realisation hit him hard as the Black Flash slowly pulled its flesh rotted mouth into a smile disappearing from the mirror.

The voice he had committed to memory, he'd heard it all day.

The digital voice echoed in his mind "Don't let go."

Barry ran from the bathroom, accessing the speed force as he tore through the hallways his heart in his chest fear and confusion consuming him. Finally after what felt like average walking time he skidded to a stop outside the medical bay. But he was too late…

His Reverse was gone.


	7. A Hero Who Failed

Barry pressed the communication headset on his mask "Cisco! Dr Wells is gone!" he stared at the empty bed unable to think with the voice echoing in his head it gave him an idea  
"Dr Wells can you hear me?" There was no reply and he began to worry.

Until finally "Barry I need you to listen to me very carefully."

Eddie was startled when the automatic doors finally opened to the wide entrance hall, it had taken him longer than anticipated to find this place again. The detective made his way through the modern home, pressing the switch that activated the lights and music simultaneously.

He had found it when Joe ordered him to search the premises the first time, he had reported nothing unusual because he didn't know if he had really found anything at all. But now he knew that Time Travel was possible, everyone left it up to him to find out for himself so he bugged Joe with a audio recorder.

The sensors set of the lights in the bedroom and Eddie pulled open the hidden compartment in the floor. There it was; notes, diagrams, sketches and the leather covered anomaly.  
Eddie took it into his hand flipping the leather clad case open and it was just as he remembered, his face smiling back at him the overhead light reflecting of the badge.  
He retrieved his own badge from his jacket pocket and compared them, the one from the compartment was aged. It bore a dent in the badge and some dulling of the leather material.  
He'd known that something was wrong but he had never suspected this.

Cisco stared at Barry through the impenetrable containment field "Why would he tell you to do this?"

Joe and Caitlin were also unimpressed as they watched Barry sit on the floor of the cell "He said to seal myself into the Pipeline and to stay there until he came for me himself."  
Cisco shook his head "And you think that is a good idea why?"

"Because my Reverse said that our lives depend on it."

The warehouse on the docks was the perfect place to draw out the Black Flash, Harrison stood alone in the centre his suit torn along his shoulder and at his knees.

"I know you're here."

There was a long moment of silence until the Black Flash appeared from the shadows its decomposed face hanging from its mask, white eyes watching the Reverse intently.

"You shouldn't exist."

The Creature stopped in front of him "I do exist, I am a part of time. You erased my future."

Harrison felt the frustration surging in his veins "It's what you wanted."

"I wanted to stop the destruction of the future. I failed. You succeeded."

The Black Flash began advancing once more its teeth clashing as it spoke "But I know the Flash. What he did to me…" The Black Flash growled "…To US!"

Harrison filched away from the creature "I am nothing like you."

"But you would have been." The Black Flashes voice was low "It has already started." it grabbed Harrison's arm bringing it to his view "Look!" the black of Reverse's suit was shown to him.

"The Flash will always absorb the Speed force, he will always destroy everything we ever loved, he will ALWAYS become the evil that traps you in the Time-Space and leaves you there to be struck and to die. While you search helplessly to find your way out! To change the timeline! To fix the world he will destroy!"

Harrison pulled his arm from the creatures grasp inhaling sharply "He has changed!"

"I see you took him back to kill Nora, to set him on a noble course. He will turn on you all one day Eobard and you know it. We know it. I am not the enemy here, I was the hero who failed to do what was necessary of me, I have to destroy him."

"No, I cannot let you do that."

The creature turned away from him "I wish you could have seen it for yourself."

"Seen what?"

The Black Flash spoke just before it disappeared into the shadows its words echoed within the warehouse

"The Truth."


	8. Fallout

Barry sat his his forehead pressed against his knees waiting patiently for the Reverse, he could feel it in his gut that something was wrong. So much had happened in the space of a few weeks when the truth about Harrison Wells was revealed to him. Long had those nightmares haunted him, his past. But now he'd gotten older he'd understood, about Nora, about his own destiny and what sacrifices must be made to save the many. It's what she would have done. But this... Black Flash he was never something Barry saw coming. His Reverse knew this creature more than Barry could have ever imagined. Their voices the same and yet the fear in Harrison's eyes when he talks about it tells him a different story, they could not be more different. What happened to the Black Flash? To the Reverse Flash? What did Barry do to him?  
1 month earlier  
The Central City weather was raining a sea over the streets, the moon hidden behind rain clouds only street lamps to light the way. Barry was running, albeit not as fast as he could run, toward a Metahuman whom he would not want to get too close to. Neil Borman was no ordinary Meta-Human if there were such a thing, good and bad Meta-Humans. Borman was truly cursed by the Particle Accelerator explosion, he was a Nuclear Engineer no more had to be said, it was apparent to him the moment Caitlin had begun explaining. He fell into the Nuclear Reactor cooling system and was preserved and affected by the radiation. Cisco calls him Fallout, but Barry couldn't bring himself to let the name come out of his mouth. Borman had accidentally killed his loved ones because he came too close to them, they both died of radiation poisoning a terrible way to go. Borman was captured by the military's covert division and has been held as a human-generator for the Iron Heights detention facility by General Eiling. It wasn't until they hid him from a thorough facility inspection that he managed to escape their inhuman captivity. So here was Barry chasing after the escapee not sure what he would even do when he caught up with the man, he was hoping the team in his head had some idea.  
"We have no idea." Cisco confirmed over the static of the headpiece and Barry's steps came slower than before.  
"We have to do something?"  
There was silence over the line and then the sound of a microphone switch and sure enough Harrison's voice came through his tone baring nervousness which only served to make Barry more hesitant in turn.  
"Barry, Eiling's moving in on your position."  
Barry cursed under his breath "Dr Wells where is Borman going, I need to know where he's going so I can beat him there in an alternative route I'm going to get closed off on this street."  
There was the quiet again until the speaker came on again "The Graveyard. Go to the Graveyard." Barry could hear questioning interruptions by Cisco and Caitlin on the line but Harrison had seemed sure, and that was good enough.  
In a flash Barry was standing in the Central City Graveyard just outside of town, his Mother was in here. The thought shaken from his mind he moved onward searching for this Borman, maybe he'd have to wait for his arrival yet.  
It felt like an hour had passed but really only twenty minutes had gone by, leaning against a tree anxiously waiting to see a hint of any radioactive man about the Graveyard at midnight like any other guy his own age on a Friday night. Barry pressed the headset against his ear "I don't think he's heading this way." He sighed pushing up off the tree, he noticed a set of headlights in the distance approaching fast.  
"Barry get out of there!" Caitlin's voice was loud in his ear as he turned to find Borman only a few metres away, Barry immediately began creating some distance between them.  
"Who…Who are you?" Borman's voice was shaky as he rubbed at his forehead with the palm of his hand. The man or rather what was once a man, his body was partly transparent a sickly glowing green, blue veins surfaced across his face and bald head. A large circular plug sat in his chest that must have been where they hooked him up to the nuclear power generator cables.  
Barry immediately raised his scarlet clad hands "I'm not here to hurt you Neil, I know what happened to you, I know about the accident I'm here to help you." There was only honesty in his voice, of all the people he'd crossed so far Borman had to be one of the ones who never deserved the fate he was given.  
"No one c…can help me." Borman began to move away from him slowly staring anywhere but the Speedster and Barry began to wonder if there was something more important behind him.  
Barry wasn't sure what else to say or do for that matter, he'd run into this problem feet first without much planning. It was the electric shock that interrupted his thoughts, as a taser or maybe an entire electricity pole was against his back sending the shocks through his body. The headset was offline and he was out of it for a moment, opening his eyes against the bright torchlight forcing him to wince closing them again for a second. Something was blocking the torchlight now, he couldn't make out what it was exactly no wait that was definitely a gun.  
A gun pointed at his head, how very General Eiling, Barry tried to move but found his limbs very slow and unresponsive he needed more recovery time. He should have kept an eye on the traffic as well as the Nuclear man, Dr. Wells would have.  
"We meet again." Came Eiling's less than pleasant voice "Bagging two assets in one night now that's what I call a success." The rest of his arrogant speech was cut short.  
And in a blur of red lightening Barry was out of there, the gun went off and he wasn't sure what had happened because his legs weren't moving. An arm was wrapped around him in a tight grip and the wind was blowing against him as the scenery changed. Barry turned to see who or what this mysterious stranger was and to his immediate shock the man in yellow was staring back at him. This must be a hallucination he told himself that was until the red lightening dimmed, its dullness reached the yellow speedsters legs and they came crashing to a stop. Barry collided with the grass by the street lucky to have missed the asphalt, no such luck for his rescuer who curled his back up against the side walk hissing in pain his hand was hovering over his legs, fingers twitching and shaking.  
Barry used his upper body strength to crawl over to his arch nemeses who was inhaling sharply as his legs shook, no vibrated against the ground like the Speed force had run out. He wasn't sure where to start the conversation, the weather maybe seeming as though it was pouring on them at the moment. This was the infamous man in yellow, murderer and evil that Barry wanted to crush with all the speed and rage in his body and heart. There he was lying broken and helpless along the side of the road while Barry was regaining the functionality of his limbs, he had a chance to deliver all that he had imagined. But none of it ever came, instead he pulled himself up to lie beside his enemy and took in a deep breath reaching out with his hand placing it over the yellow clan leg. After only a few seconds he could feel the Speed force like a spasm under his palm easing under his touch, he had given it back its control.  
"We have to go back." Barry announced with authority not that he was really in the position to make demands, neither of them were. The yellow Speedster shook his head and Barry could feel his patience wearing thin "I should kill you. But I have more important things to do." The Flash attempted to pull himself up and move back toward the grave yard.  
"Stop." A weak digital voice came from behind him but Barry paid it no attention  
"I'll deal with Eiling. I'll bring Borman to Star Labs safely. Don't go there you'll only get yourself caught. Barry." The Flash stopped in his tracks his eyes conveying only confusion and conflict as he turned to look at the Reverse.  
"I thought we'd beat him to Borman, I was wrong. I have to deal with Eiling myself."  
Barry stalked toward his nemises "Who the hell are you!" his voice cracked with frustration and he reached out to grab the yellow cowl but his wrist was caught. The Reverse sat up testing his legs responsiveness "I was never your enemy Barry."  
"What are you talking about?"  
The Reverse brought his hand to the cowl covering his identity and removed it slowly revealing the blue eyes of one Harrison Wells. Barry's legs felt like they were going to give out, his heart racing fast than usual as the shock set in. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, the man in yellow, the man who murdered his mother was his mentor, friend, and idol.  
"The night your Mother dies Barry you're there to help me not stop me."  
Barry shook his head trying desperately to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground and not let them take him off running from this.  
"I have only done what I had to in order to prevent something terrible from happening to you. To the both of us."  
Barry snapped "Killing my mother wasn't terrible enough? How about ruining my fathers life?"  
Harrison's stare was serious and unmoving "It was necessary to avoid a fate far worse than that." And the Reverse got to his feet moving past the Flash in the direction of the Graveyard "I'm going to secure Borman myself don't follow me." Barry wanted to do something he felt like he should and his hand caught Harrison's arm before he could run  
"Don't think we're allies, we are far from it, you will explain this to me. Lie to me and I will not stop until you are brought to justice."  
Harrison met his warning glare and confirmed with only a word "Understood." The Flash reluctantly let go of the arm if only in the hope the Reverse was going to keep to his word and save Borman from General Eiling.  
That had been the night Barry had first learned the truth about his life, without Nora's death Barry could still become the Flash but he would not possess the strength of will and heart to do the right thing with the powers within him. He would have become powerful and would abuse his power to become something worse than the likes of the criminals in this city. A fate Harrison presumably spared him by taking him back to bring their timeline full circle, although how Harrison knew all that he did was still a mystery and that now worried Barry every minute of every waking hour. Was he missing something that would ultimately be his undoing and it had been in that moment staring into the empty eyes of the Black Flash that he'd finally known what he was missing. It was the reason Harrison knew what he did, the Black Flash was the Reverse's future.

Barry looked up to see the face of the Black Flash staring at him now on the other side of the glass his unblinking dead eyes watching him.  
"Why now Reverse?" Barry uttered still remaining seated on the floor of the cell.  
"You destroyed everything. I searched for you but the Time-space is not that simple, but I saw you run Barry, I saw you running with my hand in yours and I never thought I could hate so much in my life." The Black Flashes eyes widened with fury and his hands balled into tight fists.  
Barry stood up now to face the speedster "What time are you from?"  
The Black Flash moved closer to the shield separating them "Not far from now but in a different world. Every time it's the same. In one of those worlds I sent myself back to try and change what you had become. But I believe the fate of your destiny is unavoidable."  
"What did I do to you?"  
The words echoed bringing a silence between the speedsters and Barry could see the Black Flashes pain surfacing above his hate. "You killed them all. Brought my city down around me. And left me to live forever to see it play out again and again! You couldn't just kill me yourself! I once thought you a friend. But now you're just a nightmare that won't leave me alone. I will haunt you're every step Barry. You remember this! When you betray me I will find a way to end you. One time or the next."  
The Black Flash stepped forward outstretching a hand to pass through the shield barrier the black clad fingers reaching for him until everything went black.


End file.
